A Troublesome Pairing
by Calicocaptain
Summary: Before team FANG there was Adler and Noir, this was how they met and became partners.
1. Chapter 1

A Troublesome Pairing

Chapter 1

Some people were made for each other, some people should never have been allowed to meet. Noir Voleur and Adler Currahee were a prime example of the latter. Presently Noir was chained to a bench in the Atlas police department waiting to be processed for her latest batch of crimes against the dictatorship that ruled over the land. An older officer with sergeant's stripes and gray hair pulled up a chair and sat across from her. For the first couple minutes he just sat there reading through the file that held her name, occasionally humming and looking up at her. Noir meanwhile stared at the shine on his shoes and refused to acknowledge his presence until at last he spoke.

"So um Ms. Voleur, I have to say I am impressed with this list of charges. Let's see here seven counts of breaking and entering, petty larceny, extortion, and if I'm reading this correctly you beat a man with his own shoe. Is that correct?"

"First of all name's Noir, second I didn't break or enter anything it's their fault for having junk locks and third he was trying to make a move on me and I asked him to stop."

"Alright well we contacted your parents and they're prepared to leave you hear for the night."

"Yeah well my dad sucks." Their conversation was interrupted by the arrival of a man in a black suit with cuffed hands being led by the Lieutenant.

"Hey George." The officer greeted the sergeant.

"Hey Sparky, where'd you grab this one?"

"Downtown, looked like he was settling the score with a couple other lowlifes, they're in the hospital on fifth."

"What is it with these kids?"

"I don't know but hey Julie has dinner ready would you mind doing the paperwork on this one?" the Lieutenant asked handing over another folder.

"Yeah sure, but kiss your wife for me."

"Alright Chief have a goodnight." The officer turned and headed for the door.

"We're not done here." The sergeant said to Noir who mocked him once he turned away. The man sitting next to her turned and nodded.

"Psst. Hey, over here." He whispered.

"What?"

"They didn't search me real well, think you can get me out of these cuffs?"

"Yeah I'll try." The man slid closer to her and turned his back to Noir exposing a paperclip tucked between his cuffed hands. She went to work and quickly popped the double lock before holding the spring down and releasing one of the cuffs.

"Thanks, now my turn." He breathed taking the clip from her fingers, he scraped around in the lock for a moment before finding the catch and tripping the release on her cuffs. As Noir rubbed her one free wrist he popped the lock on his other wrist and handed back the clip so she could remove the other manacle. Once they were free of their restraints the two clicked the cuffs together and secured them to the bench before standing and walking out the front of the police station.

"Nice work back there Noir." The man said as they walked down the street.

"How'd you know my name?" He chuckled and held up her wallet.

"And it seems someone likes to visit the library in town."

"Give that back." Noir said with a growl in her voice, the man handed it over with a mocking bow. "Alright, you know my name so what's yours?"

"Adler, nice to meet you now where are we going?"

"Honestly I don't know, I can't go home and there's nobody I can contact." Noir replied, confidence wavering as she considered the situation.

"Well it's about to rain and I know somewhere dry." Adler said in a soft heavy tone.

"Alright." Noir said nodding, Adler led them down a side street into an alley behind several industrial buildings. As the first raindrops fell the two came to a covered doorway that Adler pushed open they walked in and he turned on a light.

"You live in an abandoned building?" Noir said incredulously.

"No, I live in a house but I don't trust you enough to take you there."

"Oh so you're dumping me off here then?"

"There's a couch and a snack machine, if you're here tomorrow I'll consider working with you. In the meantime goodnight." He said slipping out the doorway and into the darkness.


	2. Chapter 2

ATPC2

Chapter 2

Noir had difficulty finding any sleep, the couch was uncomfortable to say the least and all the strange sounds had her on high alert. At seven-thirty the door opened and Adler stepped in, this time dressed in a charcoal gray suit and a fresh shave.

"Oh, you're still here." He greeted sounding a little surprised.

"Yes I am, so what are we doing today?"

"Look, we are not doing anything. You are going to go home and I am going to go back to doing what I do. This was just a thank you for getting me out of a difficult situation last night."

"Yeah? Well a lumpy couch and some stale chips is no way to repay someone for getting you out of jail." Noir replied slightly irritated.

"I wasn't in jail, I was in a police station being processed to be put in jail. Big difference."

"Well where am I supposed to go?"

"That's not my problem." Adler said turning back towards the door.

"Please? I could help you with whatever you do." Adler rolled his eyes before taking a step back into the empty room.

"Fine." Adler relented, holding the door open and gesturing for Noir to head outside before following behind her. The pair walked quickly with Adler leading the way though bustling streets and along crowded sidewalks until they arrived at a storefront. "Sky High Tailors Custom Wardrobes and Alterations" the sign on the door read as Adler stepped inside, Noir moved to follow him and he stopped her at the door.

"What are you doing? I can't let you come in here looking like that I'll get fired. Go around the building and wait by the door I'll let you in there." Noir nodded and took off down the sidewalk as Adler turned through the door to face his boss.

"Good morning Adler, how are you today?"

"Hello Serena, I'm well thank you." Adler replied to the Faunus assistant sitting behind the desk.

"Good morning Mr. Switlik."

"Morning Adler." A man called back without looking up from his desk in the office. "Did you finish letting out that jacket for Mr. Port?"

"Yes sir, I hung it up yesterday and told Serena he could pick it up."

"Good, oh and do you have that suit for old Mr. Irvin?"

"It's in the back I'll steam it today." Adler responded quickly.

"He passed yesterday and they need it for the funeral."

"Oh my, that's unfortunate."

"Yeah well you know what they say, life is fragile like a silk thread." Switlik said leaning back in his chair.

"This is true." Adler replied before stepping into the back room. Here was his domain, the near wall had racks for clothes and steamers for wrinkles, the side walls held bolts of fabric and the far wall was lined with machines. Adler had access to sewing machines, sergers, and embroidery machines that could create anything he desired. He crossed the large room and popped open the back door to see Noir standing on the other side.

"What took you so long?" She asked stepping into the room, Adler replied with an irritated eye roll before pulling his jacket off and hanging it on the rack.

"Start turning on machines." He commanded and Noir ran to the far corner to begin turning switches. A short melody sounded as all the machines beeped and thumped as they calibrated for the day, once everything was up and running Adler began reviewing orders that were hanging on a wire at the front of the room. "Do as I do." He ordered and began pulling bobbin spools out, Noir was quick to learn and soon all the embroidery machines were humming along creating everything from monogramed towels to Atlas academy patches to personal baby shower gifts.

"Not bad, now whenever one of these machines stops thread in the next color and get it running again. Understood?"

"Yes." Noir replied nodding and turning to watch the row of machines as Adler pulled pattern out of a drawer beneath the fabric bolts. Looking back Noir saw him ironing out a shiny black fabric and laying the thin paper pattern over it. "What are you making?"

"You need a new wardrobe if you're going to be seen here." He replied just loud enough to be heard over the hum of the machines stitching away. For a while the two just worked, Noir darted across the back wall tending to the embroideries as Adler cut, pinned, and stitched together his creation. "Here try this on." Adler said handing over a black bundle, "There's a changing room just outside the door." Noir hesitantly took the garment and hurried off to change, she returned a few minutes later.

"What is this?" She shouted gesturing to herself.

"It's called a dress." Adler replied softly.

"Why am I wearing this?"

"Because you needed something that didn't look like it came from a thrift shop." Noir growled and threw her head back. "Actually it needs to be taken in at the sides a bit. Go put that on inside out and come back." She grunted again but complied returning to have Adler telling her to stand on a stool while he pinned the seams on her dress. Once he had adjusted it she returned clad in his creation but still pouting.

"Why do I have to wear this?"

"This is a business for people with nice clothes, the people working here need to look nice too."

"Yeah but . . ."

"Look that is a handmade one of a kind silk dress. That would be several thousand lien if you were to buy it so instead of complaining why don't you show some gratitude?" Adler said with ice in his words, he cut right through Noir and silenced her for the next couple hours. At noon Adler handed her a stack of lien and told her to go have lunch at the restaurant down the street, instructing her to pick up his order from the corner deli when she came back.

Noir's new threads brought her more attention than she was used to and noticed several people were staring at her as she ate. She blushed when the waiter told her that a young man at the bar had paid for her meal. When she returned and handed Adler his food and all the lien he smiled.

"What?"

"I guess I can trust you." Noir gave him a confused look. "I gave you a couple hundred lien and you brought it all back."

"So how did you even get this job?" Noir asked trying to change the subject, Adler sighed and began.

"My father left when I was young, my mother needed help so I quit school and started working. Mr. Switlik was kind to me and payed me to keep his store clean, before long I was threading machines and cutting patterns. When my mother died he hired me so I could pay bills."


End file.
